


Make a Choice

by tamaranianprincess



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Awesome Loki, Awesome Tony Stark, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Iron Dad, Loki Needs a Hug, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker is a Little Shit, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Loki, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Whump, peter whump, spiderson, tony stark is peter parkers dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-02 14:08:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17265563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tamaranianprincess/pseuds/tamaranianprincess
Summary: Peter gets severely hurt in battle, sending him into a spiritual realm. When Loki comes to the rescue, Peter has to make a choice. Stay, and be with May and Ben? Or go back to Mister Stark, and everyone else?





	Make a Choice

**Author's Note:**

> In this universe, May has died and Peter now lives with Tony and the rest of the Avengers. I really wanted this written, I’ve had it in my mind for months, so I finally wrote it myself.

A sickening _crack_ was heard in everyone’s comms followed by Steve’s scream, “Spider-man!”

 

Steve’s cry made Tony stop in his tracks.

 

“FRIDAY,”

 

_“Already on it, boss,”_

 

Peter’s location quickly lit up on Tony’s HUD. He turned in the air and headed that way.

 

“Rogers, go help Barton and Romanoff. I’ve got the spider.” Tony ordered.

 

“We’re good here.” Natasha answered.

 

“As are we.” Thor spoke.

 

“I think we’re finished.” Sam’s voice cut through too, but Tony ignored all of them as he found the still figure of his kid on the road.

 

Touching down, the suit retracted back into the housing unit as Tony dropped next to Peter.

 

“Pete?” He gently shook the boy’s shoulders, “Peter? Come on, buddy. You gotta wake up.” His voice cracked at the end, “FRIDAY, connect to KAREN, now.”

 

_“Connecting now,”_

 

“Tony! Is he okay?” Steve called as he jogged over.

 

_“Connected.”_

 

“Initialize body scan.” Tony ordered, still trying to get Peter to wake up.

 

_“Initializing.”_

 

“Tony?” Steve reached out to put a hand on Tony’s shoulder but the man just batted it away.

 

“Nat, get Bruce. Like, yesterday.”

 

“Working on it.”

 

By now most of the Avengers, including Loki, were gathering around Tony and Peter.

 

_“Peter has sustained a severe concussion and a fractured skull. There seems to be multiple internal injuries including internal bleeding. If he is not tended to immediately-”_

 

“Okay that’s enough!” Tony barked, now hyperventilating, “We have to, we have, we,” He was scrambling, moving to pull the mask off of Peter, only to see blood leaking from his nose and from his head. His skin was ghostly pale and he didn’t even look like he was breathing.

 

Tony went to pull the boy into his arms, but Clint stopped him, “Jostling him could cause more damage, we need to get him back to Cho right now. Bruce is on the jet. Let’s-”

 

Right then Peter started to seize, and everything exploded into chaos. Tony was crying and screaming, Rhodey was holding him back and consoling him, Clint and Steve were barking orders, Wanda was standing stunned at the sight of her best friend on the ground half dead, Vision was dragging her away, Sam, and Thor were trying to keep media and passerbys away.

 

Then there was Loki.

 

Loki, who had grown close to Peter in his time on Earth. Loki, who had promised himself never to let anyone get close. Loki, who replaced that promise with the promise to protect the child at all costs within the first two minutes of knowing him. Loki, who was ready to kill himself for letting Peter get hurt today.

 

Loki, who was not letting Peter die today.

 

The God walked towards him, ignoring everyone else around him, kneeling down on the other side of Peter. He looked up at Tony who was holding one of Peter’s hands.

 

Tony and Loki didn’t get along, but they shared something in common.

 

Peter.

 

With one look, Tony nodded, and Loki placed his hands on either side of Peter’s head.

 

Peter stopped seizing immediately, going limp on the ground, gaining the attention of everyone else.

 

“What the fuck is he doing?” Sam asked.

 

“Hey!” Steve barked, going to grab Loki, but Rhodey jumped, grabbing onto the super soldier’s wrist.

 

“Stop! He’s trying to help.”

 

“Help?” Clint scoffed.

 

“It is true,” Thor added, “My brother loves young Peter dearly. He just does not show it around others.”

 

Everyone turned to watch the scene unfold in front of them.

 

***

 

Everything was white. A blinding, pure, white. Loki knew this place all too well. It was a place between life and death. Where the soul goes when it has left the body, but is still connected because the body isn’t yet ready to die.

 

This is where the soul goes when it’s confused.

 

Loki shuddered. He remembered that he came here by choice this time.

 

“Peter?”

 

No answer.

 

“Peter?” He called a little louder.

 

Still no answer.

 

Anxiety bloomed in his chest. Was he too late?

 

“Come on, spider child. Do not make me go back there without you-”

 

“Loki?”

 

Loki whipped around to see Peter standing several feet away from him.

 

Peter ran straight into Loki’s chest and wrapped his arms around the God.

 

Loki returned the hug without a second thought.

 

“I thought I was alone. I kept calling and I couldn’t find anyone.” Suddenly Peter pulled away and poked Loki’s chest, “Are you real?”

 

Loki rolled his eyes, “Yes, child, I’m real. I came here to get you. You need to come back. Your father is blubbering like a baby and _that_ needs to end.”

 

Peter ignored the ‘father’ comment and cocked his head, “Mr. Stark is crying?”

 

“Yes, the sight of you hurt upsets him, believe it or not.”

 

“I’m hurt?”

 

Loki’s eyebrows furrowed, “Do you not remember what happened?”

 

Peter shook his head.

 

“I guess that would make sense, given the injury.”

 

“What injury?” Peter asked.

 

Loki huffed, “We do not have time for that right now, I need to get you out of here. If you want to see Stark again you need to come with me. Understand?”

 

Peter stopped, obviously in thought.

 

“Am I dead?”

 

“You will be if you do not-“

 

 _“Loki.”_ Peter snapped. “Am. I. Dead.”

 

Loki huffed, “Yes and no. Your soul has left your physical body. But it’s still connected and you can still be saved. Come on-“

 

“I can see May again? And Ben?” Peter asked, hope swirling in his eyes.

 

Loki deflated, seeing where this was going, “Only if you let go of the physical realm. If you do that, you will die permanently. There is no coming back. There is no Spider-Man. There is no Mr. Stark. There is no Ned or MJ.”

 

The hope Peter had in his eyes dimmed.

 

“You have to make a choice, child.”

 

Peter looked at the ground, or where the ground should be, and balled his hands into fists.

 

“It’s not fair.”

 

“I know.”

 

A few more seconds passed before Peter deflated. He looked behind him at nothing. Then back at Loki.

 

“I have plenty of time to see them. Mr. Stark needs me now.”

 

Loki forced a smile down and nodded at him. He spoke in a language Peter could have sworn wasn’t even real. A bright red portal opened up in front of him as Peter walked up.

 

Peter stared at it for a second before commenting, “That doesn’t look like something I want to walk through,”

 

Loki looked back at the portal and rolled his eyes again, “I do not choose the color of the portals I call upon. I promise it does not lead you to Hel. Now, chop chop, we must go now.”

 

Peter looked at Loki and then at the portal, then held out his hand toward the God.

 

Loki shook his head, “I cannot help you. It has to be something you do yourself.”

 

Peter huffed, then took a step forward and put his hand through, then his arm, then hissed and pulled back.

 

“Ow ow ow! What the hell!”

 

“You’ve been injured in the physical world. What you’re feeling when you go through are the injuries your body has sustained.”

 

Peter bit his lip and took a deep breath and tried again, whining as he pushed his arm in but screaming as soon as he tried a leg, and backed out.

 

“It hurts! I can’t!” He breathed, pulling his knees to his chest.

 

“I know it hurts. _Believe_ me. Do you know how many times I have cheated death? But once you finish I can help to heal you.”

 

Peter sat there for a few minutes, taking steadying breaths and letting his tears dry. Finally he stood up again.

 

“I’m just going to run and jump.”

 

“I’m not so sure that’s such a good ide-”

 

“YEET!” Was all Loki heard before Peter disappeared into the portal.

 

Facepalming, Loki followed suit.

 

***

 

Peter blinked a few times, attempting to adjust to the light. Luckily, it was dimmed and wasn’t too hard on his senses.

 

Unluckily, he had a migraine from hell and any light was unwelcome.

 

“Hey there, kiddo. You with us?” Came a familiar voice.

 

Peter lolled his head towards the calming voice and found Tony sitting next to him.

 

“Dad?”

 

Tony chuckled, “Wow, you must really be hopped up on painkillers, huh?”

 

“No. Head hurts.” Peter groaned, closing his eyes.

 

Tony quietly cursed and pressed the call button for assistance.

 

“FRIDAY, dim the lights a little further.” He whispered.

 

The lights dimmed on command and Peter opened his eyes again.

 

“Better?” Tony asked, voice still a whisper.

 

Peter tried nodding, but the movement sent a sharp pain literally everywhere.

 

“Yeah. Thanks.”

 

“Do you remember what happened?”

 

Peter closed his eyes to try and recall why he was sitting in the all too familiar med bay, but came up blank.

 

“No.”

 

“That’s okay, we’ll explain it to ya later,” Tony let out a long sigh, “You scared the shit outta me, kid. I thought I lost you for good this time.”

 

“You can’t get rid of me that easily.” Peter tried chuckling.

 

“This isn’t a joke, Peter.” Tony snapped, but stopped short when he saw Peter wince. He tried again in a lighter tone, “I know you like to use jokes when you’re scared or hurt as a defense mechanism. Believe me. I’m the master of deflection. But this isn’t a joke,” The older man leaned forward and ran a hand through Peter’s curls, the boy instinctively pushing into the man’s hand, “I thought… You were seizing and bleeding out in front of me. You were dead, Peter. No heartbeat. If Loki hadn’t been there-“

 

“Loki?” Peter perked up at the mention of his friend.

 

Tony scoffed, “Yeah. He saved your life. Quite literally. Pulled you from the dead or something. I don’t know how it works. He said he talked to you. You don’t remember that either?”

 

Peter thought for a moment, but ultimately shook his head, “No.”

 

Right then Dr. Cho walked in.

 

“Hi there Peter. It’s nice of you to join us again.” She spoke softly and smiled sweetly.

 

“He needs some more painkillers. Has a migraine.” Tony said for him.

 

The woman nodded and walked to a machine next to Peter, adjusting his medicine before asking him a few routine questions and checking him over.

 

“How long was I out?” Peter asked when she finished.

 

Cho and Tony shared a look before she answered, “Three days.”

 

“What!” Peter shot up, but fell back with a whine when everything felt like it was shattering inside of him.

 

“Your surgery took several hours. There were multiple injuries to fix and multiple injuries to refix since your body healed wrong. Your advanced healing hasn’t been working as fast as usual though, but I’d attribute that to your body focusing on keeping you alive.”

 

Peter turned back to Tony to see the man looking at Peter with tears streaming down his cheeks, “I’m sorry.” Peter whispered.

 

Tony snapped out of his trance, “Sorry? What are you sorry for?” He wiped his tears away.

 

“For hurting you, I-“

 

“Hey hey hey. None of that, okay? Let’s just focus on getting you back on your feet.” He moved his hand from Peter’s hair, which was still carding through his curls, down to his cheek where he wiped away a stray tear.

 

“Thanks, Dad.”

 

Tony smiled and his heart nearly exploded at the sight of Peter smiling at him again, and the fact that Peter now called him ‘dad’.

 

***

 

Peter woke up, looking around to gather his bearings. He was still in his room in the med bay.

He was still laying on Tony’s chest, and he could tell by the steady breaths and beat of his heart that his dad was asleep. Stranger Things was on mute on the TV.

 

Tony never understood why Peter loved that show so much.

 

_“We fight aliens and monsters all the time. Why do you want to watch a show about them?” Tony asked as he stood behind the couch Peter had been planted on since season 2 was released._

 

_“It’s interesting Mr. Stark! Now shhh!”_

 

Out of the corner of his eye Peter saw a figure, but he was used to that figure appearing out of nowhere.

 

“Hey Loki.” Peter smiled, turning his head on his actual pillow.

 

“Peter.”

 

“Dad said you saved me.”

 

Loki raised an eyebrow, “Dad?”

 

Peter shrugged, the meds in his system allowing him to move easier, “I figured it was time.”

 

“Right, after you nearly put him in his own grave?”

 

Peter giggled, “At least someone will joke with me.”

 

“I will joke about his death. Not yours.”

 

Peter’s smile dropped, “Awh come on,”

 

“Ah, no arguments. You know how hard it is for me to be close to anyone. It is hard enough to be close to my own brother. I let you in, befriended you. Then you have the audacity to go and die on me?” By now Loki was pacing.

 

“I, uh,”

 

“No, you must be more careful. I cannot lose you. Your father cannot lose you. You are what holds this weak, spineless team together. You do not get to be reckless because your aunt is gone. There are others who still love you and cannot live without you. Do you understand?” He turned and pointed at Peter.

 

A smile tugged at Peter’s lips. Did Loki just admit…

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Loki nodded, “Good. I’ll be going now. I don’t want to be in here when your father wakes.”

 

And with that, Loki was gone.

 

Peter smiled brighter, eyes locked on the place Loki had just been standing a little longer before he sunk back down into his father’s hold, and nuzzled into his chest.

 

Maybe, he would be okay.


End file.
